Railway signaling.



N. 68|,377. Y Patented Aug. 27. I90I.

J. ROTH &. VLHELMKE.

RAILWAY SIGNALING.

(Application med Har. 2. 1901.)

9 Sheets-Sheet I.

MSN www E (No Model.)

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(No Modeln wml/8555);

N0. 68|,377. Patented Aug', 27,1901.

J. RUTH & W. HELMKE RAILWAY SIGNALING (Application med mr. 2, 1901.) (No Model.)l Shea! 3 9 Sheets- Aroeufrs i No. 68I,377. Patented Aug. 27, 190|. J. RUTH W. HELMKE.

RAILWAY SGNALlNG (Application led Mar. 2, 1901.)

9 Sheets-Sheet 4.

(Nu Model.)

A TTOPNE YS Patented Aug. 27, |90I.v J. RUTH W.v HELMK-E. I

RAILWAY SIGNALING.

(Application tiled Mm'. 2, 1901.)

9 Sheen-Sheet 5.

(No Model.)

w/msssss.-

No. 68|,377. Patented Aug. 27, |901. J. ROTH &. W. HELMKE.

RAILWAY SIGNALING.

(Application led Mar. 2, 1901.)

9 Sheets-Sheet 6.

(Nn Model.)

Ano/mns No. sa|,377. Patented Aug. 27, mm. J. noTH a w. HELMKE.

RAILWAY SIGNALIMG.

. (Application filed Mar. 2, 1901-) (No Model.) 9 Sheets-Sheet 7.

Flo 1G f1 TTORNEYS N0. 68l,377. Patented Aug. 27, |90I. J. BOTH & W. HELMKE.

RAILWAY SIGNALING.

(Application filed Mar. 2, 1901.)

(No Model.) 9 Sheets-Sheet 8 Flo 18 A TToR/IEYS No. 6a|,377. Pfented Aug. 27, Ism.

J. RUTH & W. HELMKE.

RAILWAY SIGNAUNG.

(Application iled Mar. 2, 1901.) (No Model) EQE 9.Sheets`$heet 9.

,kiff/@vdi ArroHNEsL- UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOSEPH ROTH AND WILLIAM HELMKE, OF LONDON, ENGLAND, ASSIGNORS OF ONE-THIRD TO GEORG MAETZOLD, OF SAME PLACE.

RAILWAY SIGNALING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 681,377, dated. August 2'?, 1901. Application'iiled March 2, 1901. Serial No. 49,541. (No model.)

T0 all whom it may concern:

Beit known that we, JOSEPH ROTH, residing at 33 Little Alie street,and WILLIAM HELMKE, residing at 27 Colchester street, in Leman street, White Chapel, London, E., England, subjects of His Majesty Edward VII, King of Great Britain, have invented new and useful Improvements in Railway Signaling, (for which We have applied for patent in Great Britain, No. 20,423, dated November 13, 1900, and in Germany, dated February 5, 1901,) of which the following is a specification.

Our invention relates to an improved system of and apparatus for signaling upon steam, electric, and other railways in fine and foggy weather, the most important object of our said invention being to provide means whereby the employment of special hands or foggers in foggy weather may be dispensed with, thus obviating the possible hazard to life and limb which so frequently obtains during the employment of such special hands or foggers; and we attain the objects of our invent-ion by providing at certain parts of the track or tracks-such, for instance, as at or near the home or distant signals or at or near a level crossing or at or in a station-iixed and movable bars placed parallel with the track-rails, such bars being adapted to actuate a sonorous or any other signal upon the engine of the passing train for the purpose of conveying to the driver thereof such information as is now conveyed by the explosion of the detonator as at present used.

In order that our said invention and the manner in which the several parts operate for their respective purposes may be fully understood, we have hereunto appended iive sheets of drawings, of which- Figures 1, 2, and 3 are plan views of certain parts of a railway-track arranged according to our invention, the arrangements shown by Figs. l and 3 being. stationary, while the arrangement Fig. 2 is movable or operative under the conditions and in the manner hereinafter explained. Fig. 4 is an enlarged verticalsectional View taken upon the line A B or thereabout of Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is a furtherenlarged view of the-details by which the movements of the movable bar in Fig. 2 are effected. Fig. 0 is a diagram illustrating a .form of weighted lever that we may employ in lieu of the weight shown in Figs. 2A and 4. Figs. 7, 8, 9, and 10 are views similar to Figs.

1, 2, 3, 4, and-5, but illustrating an alt-ernative method of operating the weighted and movable parts. Fig. 10 is a further-enlarged' view similar to Fig. 4, while Fig. 11 is a View similar to Fig. 5, but both relating to the device shown by Fig. S. of a portion of a railway-track within a station, illustrating an improved arrangement of a locking-bar operating upon a distant or home. signal, or both, Fig. 13 being an enlarged sectional View taken upon the line C D of Fig. l2. Fig. 14 is an enlarged part-sec` tional viewillustrating-the normal position of the locking-bar relatively to the track-rail, while Fig. 15 illustrates the position of the said bar when depressed by the wheels of any 7o one of a train of vehicles. Figs. 16, 17, and 18y are side elevational views of a locomotive, illustrating various positions of the operating-lever under a variety of conditions hereinafter explained. Fig. 19 is an enlarged de- 75 tached view of the pivoted signaling-arm within the cabin of the engine actuated by the said lever, While Fig 20, 21, and 22, respectively, are enlarged views of the said le ver, as shown in Figs. 16, 17, and 18, respec- 8o tively. Fig. 23 is an enlarged diagram showing the relative positions of the track-wheels of a locomotive upon the track-rails and the operating-lever when upon one of the bars, as

hereinafter fully explained. Fig. 24 is a dia- '85 grammatic view, and Figs.. 25 and 26 detail -f views, of sonorous signals.

We are informed that upon certain steam, electric, and other railway systems 1n foggy weatherit is customary to give three sonorous 9o signals when the line is blocked and the train is to stop and two when the, line is clear and the train may proceed, while other systems arrange that two detonators exploded shall mean line blocked and that the line is clear, andwe therefore wish Vit understood that although in the accompanying drawings we have chosen to illustrate our invention as arranged for the 3 and 2 system, we may by simply doing away zo:

with one of the stationary bars adapt precisely the same arrangement to a 2 and Fig. 12 is a plan View 6o one l system without in any way departing from the principle involvedand,i'ojrming-` the substaneeofour invention.

Referring to Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5, we carry our invention into effect by providing at or near to a home or distant signal or both and ata, suitable distance from each other two fixed bars, such as a. andb, Figs. 1 and2, placed parallel with, outside of, and at a suitable distance from the (preferably) near-side track-rail c, and midway or thereaboutl be,-` tween the said bars ct and Z) we provide a third and movable bar OZ, Figs. 2 and 4, also parallel with the same track-rail c(h Thesaid bar CZ is preferably arranged to slide laterally within guides e e and upon track-platesff, so that the said bar may be brought as near to theitrack-rail c as the bars a h or farther there-A The said bar CZ has connected?" from, at: will. to. onefside thereof two or more ropes, lines, wires, or chaiusg, whichipass therefrom undensuitable, guide-wheels h andfrom these upwardly over other guide-wheels h upon posts-j, theopposite or free ends ofglg being-` thenl connected to weights 7c, the-pull from which serves to keepfthe said bar' dy away from. tl1e.trackrail c'and in the position shown by full li-ues in Figs. 2` and 4, or in lieu, ofthe said guide-wheels hy and. weight Za wel/may provide that after passiugfthelguidewheelslt,the free ends ofig gV may be Vconnectedzto, the .onefendi of adjustable weigh-ted11everski, as illustrated by Fig; 6, the pull given` front` this being an equivalent` of-fthat givenby, theweights 7c.

Theopposite side of the bar CZ` hasconnecb ed thereto` the` one end: of a pair of cords,V

wires,.ropes, or chainsZ Z', which, passing under theiwoodenstagiugs (usually provided at suchiparts of` railway --tracks,) are led around'suitableguide-wheels.wawhereat they may.; be joined to form one, as at Z2, whichiis theiicontlnued around orover or under, other guide-wheels on! and isled away.A to theinearestsignaL-cabin or` other signaling` place, whereat a,pull.may be imparted to Zin the direetionofa thearrow in Fig. Zeither alone or bymeaus of thesame lever as operates thesemaphore at the same point, which would serve-tobr-ingthe bar cZiiuto the position shownby dotted outline inf Figs. 2 and 4.

againstthe tensioual pull=of the-w'eights-t` or weighted levers 7o.

In. Figs.` 7, 8, 9, l0, and ll we` illustrate a slight modification of' the foregoing and iuwhichtthe: force of. theweights employed and a pull.` upon the chain, wire, or the like Z2` operatesupon the bar cZ in. reverseorder to For thepurposesf thatplteviously described. of thisarrangelnent we pivotally. connect to ihegonelououterside of the bar cZitheioneend` of twoor more rods-nm, the opposite ends of whichiare pivotally connected tothe one-end of lever-armsO O, pivotally.l mounted upon standards Of, the outer oriree endsof which said; levers are provided with weightsp-p, which Tnormally rest` upon suitable supports pip" and serve to keep the rail CZ in its closest position` to the near railc, as shown by full lines in Figs. 8 and 11. 'I he bard has also connected thereto the one end of the cords, wires, or the like Z Z, which pass therefrom through guide-wheels and are joined to form one Z2, as pbefore, which is,v then" led over, under, or ,"through suitable like guidesy to the nearest signal-cabin or other signaling place, as may be arranged, a pull upon the said cord or the 4jlike Z2 in the direction of the arrow, Fig. 1l, serving to pull the bar CZ from the position shown by full lines to that shown by dotted outlinein Figs. 8` and 11, such pull being against the forcevof and serving to raise the weights p p from the position of rest upon their supports p p to that shown by dotted loutline in Fig. `l0, thesaidweight serving to Treinstate the bar CZ as soon as suchpull upon ,y Z2 isV released;

Referring to Figs. 16 to- 23;,.inelusive, we i' for the pfurposesof our invention provide upon either orboth sides of the locomotivesr'a le- `ver-arm l, pi-votally mounted at a point 2, preferably in such a manner thatits lowerI "orroller 3)- extends through-ia slot in the foot plate r2 of the engine, while its upper end is pivotally connected to an arm 4, from which 5in a vertical arm 6,the' lower endofwhich4 *is pivotally mounted at a point '7. Thesaid `anysuitable form of handle or handhold 8,

arm has on its. under surface two cut-away parts or vslots Qand 10,'` either of whichat'the wiliA of the driver may be caused to engage with the substance at the lowerend of the :slot-5 inthe arm 6 in the `manner and foi-,the purposes now to beidescribed.

Vother usual signals are to. be easilyseen` by the driver, thearinffifwould be placed in the 'positionsh'own-by Figs. land 20e-that isto say, with itsfcutfV-away portion or slot lOen gaging Withthe substance at the bottonlof any suitable uieans-sucl1, forinstance, asby that of a spring, as suggested by dotted"v out- `liue at 11Fig. 20, orby that of'a wedge (not shoywu)-and1while 6 is iuithis position the or Wheel 3 raised perfectly clear of both the `3stationary lbars ct and` b,- bu't directly the driver finds himself enteringfoggy or hazy Weather, when itmay not be possible for him to clearly discern the semaphores ahead, he would change theposition ofthe lever-arm 61so that its-slot or cut-away portion 9, and not 11, engages with the substance at the bottom of the slotlin G, which would have the edect of placing the lever l in au ap-` 'proximatel y vertical-position or substantially and dependingend (provided withv a wheel i; point the said arm passes through a slotor gapin` the front of and into the cabr of `the "locomotive, `whereat `it passes through" a s lot arm 4 is provided. at its freeor inner end with.

atfa suitable distance fromfwhich the said` Inclear weather, when the semaphore and IIO the slotv in G--whereat it maybe retained'by' ilever-arin-l wouldtakethe position sh'owuin I Figs. 16 and ZO-that is to say, with'its roller` as at Figs. 17 and 21, its lower end or wheel 3 being then in such a position as to collide with both the bars a and b, as at Fig. 21, and ride thereover, asat Figs. 22 and 23, and such impact with each of the said bars would deflect the lever 1, and this in turn would deflect the vertical arm 6, as shown in Figs. 18 and 22, these remaining so deiiected during the whole time the wheel 3 is passing over each of the said bars, after which it would return to its former position, as at Figs. 17 and 21. It will thus be seen that unless the central and movable bar d has been op-` erated upon from the signal-cabin or other place the two bars a b would be the only ones with which the lever 1 would collide, which (as set out in the preamble hereof) would mean line clear, and the driver would proceed; but if the line be blocked and the signalman had operated upon the` movable center-bar CZ in either of the manners stated such center-bar would be placed in the position shown by dotted outline in Figs. 2 and 4 and by full outline in Figs. 8, 10, and 11, and in alinement with the fixed bars a b,when in consequence of the lever-arm 1 and vertical arm 6 of the locomotive being deflected by wheel 3 of the former coming in contact therewith it follows that the vertical arm 6 would be deflected three times by the engine passing over a,v d, and b, and such three deections would (by the arrangement hereinbefore provided for) intimate to the driver that the line was blocked and that the train must not pass the semaphore adjacent to which the bar b would be located,

' so that the driver might see or hear when this fell, so as to know when to proceed.

In order that the driver may not have to depend upon his eye alone to know when such deflection of the vertical arm 6 takes place, We may arrange that such deflection of the arm 6 may strike a bell within the cab r', or we may by attaching to the upper end of 6 a cord, wire, or chain 12, as shown in Figs. 19, 20, 2l, and 22, impart by such deflection a pull upon such cord or the like arranged to operate any form of sonorous signal within or without the cab lrsuch, for instance, as that of operatin g mechanically the striker of a bell or to operate to open the whistle of the engine or to close the circuit of an electric bell-in addition to which such pull upon the cord 12 may operate upon whatever device may be in use for shutting oft the steam (or switching o the current, if electrically driven) as an aid to the stoppingof the train.

The cord, chain, or wire 12 may under certain conditions be arranged to be pulled by and from the gate of a level crossing when opened in order to operate upon the center and movable bar CZ of a distant device a b cl in foggy Weather or the semaphore adjoining it in fine weather, so as to arrest the progress of a coming train while such gate is open, thus operating to save probable loss of life should a horse have fallen in crossing the line 'by the fianges of the wheels of trains.

or other accident have occurred while the gate is open. f:

In Figs. 12, 13, 14, and 15 we illustrate the manner in which we provide that a train standing at rest in a station may operate upon a locking-bar for imparting a pull upon a rope, wire, or chain, such 'as b2, leading to and connected with a distant bard or semaphore to signal to an oncoming train that a train is in the station, such locking-bar by locking such distant bar or semaphore serving to prevent possible errors on the part of the signalman. For the purposes of this part of our invention we provide within the station a locking-bar fu, placed between and parallel with the track-rails c c and sufficiently near to one or the other as to be depressed said locking-bar o is supported by any number of vertical attached rods 13, the lower end or" each of which rests upon a suitable spring 14 within a sunken metallic or other box 15, the tensional force of such springs' serving to keep the said bar o in its highest position, level, or thereabout, with the adjoining track-rail. At a point 16, Fig. 13, adjacent to one of the rods 13 and below the said locking-bar, is pivotally mounted a lever w, the inner and shorter end of which is l pivotally connected at a point 17 to its rod 13, while its outer end is connected to one end of a rope, wire, chain, or cord Z, which from this point is led over, under, or around suitable pulley or other guides m, its opposite end being connected to a distant or home signal bar d or to a semaphore near to the accompanying bar b, or both. By reference to Fig. let the normal position of the said locking-bar o will be understood, While Fig. 15 conveys a perfect knowledge of the manner in which the said locking-bar is depressed and retained so depressed by the track-wheels y of any portion of a train Within the station, such depression of the locking-bar operating to lower the inner and shorter end of the lever w, the consequent raising of the outer end thereof (indicated by dotted outline in Fig. 13) operating to impart a pull upon the cord or the like Z, such pull serving to place the before-mentioned distant or home signal bar d or semaphore, or both, in a position or positions to indicate to the driver by sight or sound that a train is within the station, and directly the train departs and its weight is removed the said locking-bar would rise to its normal position by the tension of the springs 14, when the outer end of the lever w wouldlower and the pull upon the cord or the like l' be released,and thereby allow the said distant or home semaphore or bar d, or both, to return to their normal positions. By these means a train entering a station may be arranged to automatically operate to place at danger and lock both the distant or home semaphore for sightfsignaling in ne weather and the distant or home signaling bar cl and semaphore in fogg weather, by which means pos- The IOO

IIO

sible disaster through neglect ofduty onthev part of' the signalman is averted and the olo-l jectsand purposesof our invention attained.

Having now particularly described and ascertained the natureof our said inventiona-nd in whatmanuerthe same isl to be' performed, we declare that-what weclaim'risel; Th'eimproved apparatus forrailwaysigmaling, consisting,` of the combination of one' or two fixed signaling-bars suchf asa and 1J, and amovable signaling-bar* suchv as d, the latter arranged toslideupon suitable guides;` parallel with the track-rails c, the said barol- When actuated by and from a station, level crossing,` or signal-cabin,- or and by'suitable weightsorlevers,being placed in such a po# sition as to collide with a lever l upon the locomotive of apassing train, such lever ac tuating an arin d previously placedby'the driverrinfa suitableposition w-thinthe slot 5`of i a lever, the deflection of lever @operating toshut olf the motive power and stop th'etrain, or and to eXcitethe mechanical, electrical or other sonorous signal, in use substantially'as and" for the purposes herein described and shown.

2; The'improved apparatus for automaticj ally actuating home or distant signals upon a` railway, by and from the actual presence' of I l l I' i l l .l M A" I" w 5a train withinja. stationpconslsting of the 36 bar actuating a lever/Ld adaptedtditn'part apull upon awire, cord; chain,` rope or' the like "Z,\foroperating a distautisem'aphorm or'Ifr `"placing a distant-signaling-bar' d `in' a posi- `tion to operate irr concertwith ixed'barsa 4o or ZJ or both, for' defleetingalever l upon" the locomotive'oia passing train', thesaid""le' ver 1 byits' deflection actuating an arm' 4, previously placedfby the" driver in a suitable position within the slot 5 of a' verticallever 45 6, the deflection oflever Boperatugto shut offl thel motive* power and stopthe train, orand" toexcite the steam, mechanical, electrica'lor other sonoro'us' signal, substantially as and forthe purposes'herein described and shown. y 5o In Witness* whereof we have' heren nto set our handsin presence'of two witnesses.f

JOSEPH ROTH. WILLIAM HELMKE.

Witnesses:

HENRY kCONRAD HEIDE,` GEORGE TnoM'As HYDE; 

